Community Engagement and Mobilization

ILJ understands the important role that community-based organizations and individual community members play in preventing and addressing crime and revitalizing communities. ILJ has helped local, state, and federal agencies nationwide engage and mobilize communities for over 10 years through several training and technical assistance contracts.

Past Projects

Weed and Seed Technical Assistance

ILJ coordinated all training and technical assistance for the national Weed and Seed initiative for the Community Capacity Development Office, U.S. Department of Justice. Weed and Seed grantees target violent and drug-related crime in specific neighborhoods; implement community policing strategies; and bring in human services and other resources to revitalize neighborhoods and improve residents’ quality of life. There are now over 300 jurisdictions designated as Weed and Seed sites. ILJ established mechanisms to support the Weed and Seed technical assistance, electronic communications, Internet website, conferencing for the sites, online resources and experts’ files, and follow-up to ensure satisfaction.

ILJ has also developed and delivered training curricula in community policing, community mobilization and empowerment, implementing safe havens, firearms abatement initiatives, coordination and collaboration, and evaluating programs. In addition, ILJ staff helped draft the Weed and Seed Operations Manual.

Community Engagement in Project Safe Neighborhoods

Under a cooperative agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), U. S. Department of Justice, ILJ served as technical assistance (TA) contractor for Community Engagement in Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN). PSN is a nationwide commitment to reduce gun crime led by United States Attorneys in each of the 94 federal judicial districts. ILJ provided customized TA—including assessments and other consulting services—to help PSN task forces involve the community; and has developed a “how to” monograph (“Engaging the Community in Project Safe Neighborhoods”), a Community Engagement Self-Assessment Guide, and a Youth Engagement in Gang Prevention Resource Guide and online toolkit to facilitate community and youth involvement.

Sample Publications and Products

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